By Ella Nun
A chef who struggled to control himself when it came to food lost 33 pounds in 16 months by eating just one meal a day.
Simon Parnell, from St Margaret’s, between Dover and Deal, weighed 27kg at his heaviest and struggled to fit into a size 8XL.
The 42-year-old was used to crisps, pastries and fizzy drinks, but decided to change that when he realised he couldn’t get through a shift without his legs swelling up, often leaving him in extreme pain the next day.
He thought the only way to lose weight was through gastric band surgery, but when he realized he had to wait two years, he decided to try it naturally.
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“My weight kept getting worse,” he said.
“I had grown very large over time and found it difficult to do everything from putting on my socks to going out to work.
‘My car was full of at least half a black bag of wrappers every week. I just ended up in a complete hole.
“At the end of the day I just couldn’t move anymore, my body was shut down.”
After deciding he wanted to make a change in January 2023, he joined his friend Ben Turner on a two-mile walk one morning, which he says left him feeling “devastated.”
But the couple agreed to walk together every day at 6 a.m., regardless of the weather or other factors.
After devoting himself fully to walking and noticing that he could gradually walk further and faster, Mr. Parnell began a strict fast for three to four months.
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His one meal at 5pm each day consisted of mixed nuts, some form of protein (usually chicken or fish), lentils, a pile of vegetables or salad, and some berries and yogurt for dessert.
He was amazed when the weight fell off him and he now weighs 19 pounds, a size 2XL, and “feels like a million bucks.” He says his 14-year-old daughter Hatty is “so proud” of her dad.
“Now I feel something so unimaginable, so happy, so healthy, this is what I wanted all my life,” the chef said.
“It was a complete mindset change and a real struggle at first, but I feel like I’ve really trained my brain over time.
“Before I started fasting, when I would eat breakfast every morning, it would just make me excited and want to eat all the time. I have so much more control now.
“I’ve dreamed this and imagined this and I’m living my best life. I’ve waited a lifetime to get to where I am now, even though I’m not ready yet.
“My daughter didn’t think I would get as far as I have now. She is so proud of me and has talked about it so many times.”
Mr Parnell still follows this routine, but he has been able to add more foods to his diet. He knows he is now mentally strong enough to stay on track.
He says he felt too insecure to go to the gym for a while, but after eight months of losing weight he worked up the courage to try it.
“As a fat person, it’s your worst nightmare to go to the gym and think everyone is looking at you and talking, but that’s not actually the case,” Parnell said.
“It’s amazing how quickly your thoughts can change from not wanting to go in, which would be your worst nightmare, to someone who can’t wait to get in and be the most confident person there.”
He now walks an average of 25,000 steps a day. He has a target weight of 15st.
Mr Parnell hopes his documentation of his weight loss journey on his TikTok account will inspire others who are in the same position as him.
“I want to help people who are in a similar situation as me,” he said.
“Sometimes it means more when you hear it from someone who was great, who understands the struggle and knows what it feels like.”
Once he reaches his target weight, Mr Parnell plans to challenge himself further with canal swimming and mountain climbing.